₦1 Billion Constituency Fund Slashed To ₦500 Million As Nigerians Question Lawmakers’ Impact
President Bola Tinubu has reportedly reduced the ₦1 billion constituency project allocation earlier approved for each federal lawmaker to ₦500 million, citing budgetary constraints in the 2025 fiscal year.
Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the House of Representatives representing Pankshin, Kanke, and Kanam Federal Constituency in Plateau State, revealed this development while speaking in a viral video.
According to Gagdi, lawmakers do not receive constituency project funds directly in cash; instead, the funds are used to execute projects in their constituencies through relevant ministries and federal agencies. However, critics argue that despite these huge allocations, Nigerians hardly see tangible results or projects that reflect such massive funding.
Gagdi explained that allocations differ from state to state, depending on the number of federal representatives. Using Plateau State as an example, he disclosed that each of the eight House members from the state previously got projects worth ₦125 million before the allocation was raised to ₦1 billion earlier this year. Senators, he added, were allotted a whopping ₦2 billion each for constituency projects.
The lawmaker further revealed that some lawmakers even lobby ministries and agencies for additional community projects, meaning that beyond the official allocations, many still secure extra support yet many communities across the country remain undeveloped, with poor roads, failed health facilities, and decaying schools.
He also stated that despite the passage of the 2025 Appropriation Act, no capital project funds had been released yet to either the National Assembly or the Executive.
According to him, the President recently told the Speaker of the House that the 2025 budget could not be fully funded, prompting the decision to slash constituency intervention funds from ₦1 billion to ₦500 million per lawmaker.
This revelation has sparked fresh outrage among citizens who question what the previous billions allocated for constituency projects were used for. Nigerians are demanding transparency and accountability, urging the federal lawmakers to show physical evidence of projects executed with taxpayers’ money in their constituencies.
Many observers believe this latest development has exposed how inflated and unaccountable constituency allocations have become, especially when compared to the poor living conditions in most communities.
While lawmakers continue to defend the system, Nigerians are calling for a public audit of all constituency projects to determine how billions allocated yearly translate into actual development across the country.
By ISA POL Communications and Information Consultancy Firm
